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For those who like adventure sports, the Lapão cave in the Chapada Diamantina is the perfect place for rappelling.
It is 47 meters high, at the mouth of the largest quartzite cave known in Brazil and with specialized equipment it is very quiet even for the most beginners.
Besides the adrenaline, the “flight” provides a panoramic view of the diversity of colors, sizes and textures of the rocks inside the cave.
How to get there: leaving Lençóis, the walk takes around 1:40 min.
Location: Lapão mountain range in Bahia
Video about Lapão Cave in Chapada Diamantina
Gruta do Lapão na Chapada Diamantina
View the map Chapada Diamantina
Lapão Cave in Chapada Diamantina
The metallic sound heard in the Lapão cave denotes its origin. Unlike most of the caves in Chapada Diamantina, which are made of limestone, Lapão is a quartzite cave rich in iron – hence the noise.
Map of the Trails and Tourist Spots of Chapada Diamantina
View the map of Chapada Diamantina
The Lapão cave is 1,000 meters long and about 10 meters wide, with an exit mouth 60 meters high. It is the second largest quartzite cave in Brazil – the first is Bromélias, in Conceição do Ibitipoca (MG).
Despite being made of quartzite, a harder material and resistant to water erosion, Lapão has unusual formations for this type of cave. At some points it is possible to see small stalactites – many have already been broken.
While in limestone caves each centimeter of the speleothem takes, on average, 33 years to form, in quartzite caves it takes more than 100 years – depending on the intensity of the drip.
Exploited by gold miners from 1845 to 1871, Lapão was rich in diamond and carbonate. In addition to the natural collapse of the walls of the underground water table through which the Lapão River passes, the tunnels and excavations of the miners make the attraction even more dangerous.
Most of the stones are loose and you have to be careful not to step on the wrong place. In rainy season the tour becomes unfeasible because the river rises quickly and can cause accidents.
Even in the dry season the strength of the Lapão River, which passes inside the cave and is narrow, is frightening. To leave the cave through the largest mouth, you have to cross it.
The trail that leads to the Lapão cave leaves from Lençóis na Chapada Diamantina and is about 5 km – an hour and 30 minutes walk. It goes up through the Lapão mountain range and part of the descent can be done by the riverbed – only in the dry season. Among the equipment needed for the visit are a flashlight, extra battery and footwear that gives firmness to the feet.
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